Charges Dropped Against Adams County Deputy

BRIGHTON, Colo. (CBS4) – Adams County prosecutors have dropped all criminal charges against a former Adams County Sheriff’s deputy who had been accused of falsifying a DUI test.

Adams County prosecutor Jess Redman confirmed to CBS4 that on Friday, his office filed a motion to dismiss the criminal case against former Deputy Catalin Pavel, 38, who was fired and criminally charged with forgery, official misconduct and abuse of public records.

The attorney maintained the deputy was the subject of a sheriff’s department witch hunt after Pavel filed a complaint against the department on an unrelated matter.

Pavel was charged criminally in 2012 for allegedly falsifying a breath alcohol checklist in connection with a DUI stop in Adams County. The deputy always maintained his innocence but the sheriff’s department fired him. He was initially put on trial in late 2013 but that case resulted in a mistrial.

Redman said his office moved to drop the case because it did not believe there was a “reasonable likelihood of conviction” if Pavel was put on trial a second time.

Sisson said Pavel and his wife “broke down crying” in court Friday morning when they learned the case was being dropped.